


A Breath of Fresh Air

by SosearchingRomeo (Breakingthestandards)



Category: Romeo And Juliet - All Media Types, Rómeó és Júlia (Színház)
Genre: Epilepsy, Epileptic!Tybalt, Headaches & Migraines, M/M, Migraine!Mercutio
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-17
Updated: 2015-09-17
Packaged: 2018-04-21 05:22:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4816655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Breakingthestandards/pseuds/SosearchingRomeo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He pushed the light button. Froze. And then turned around to slam the door closed.</p><p>By God, what had he just seen? In his bed – the only bed in the room, he noted- was already a figure, sprawled underneath the blankets with only a foot sticking out on the left side and a tuft of orange hair sprouting out on the upper side, colouring the pillow.</p><p>And had that voice just moaned “come in dear?” or was that his imagination?</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Breath of Fresh Air

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt used: Imagine your OTP meeting as their hotel screws up both of their reservations and they have to share a room until the hotel fixes the problem.

**~Reservations ~**

“This is wrong.” Mercutio stared at the key in his hand. “This is wrong and I DEMAND a different room.”

“But,” The lad behind the counter tried carefully. “There are no other rooms left.”

“But I’d ordered the Bridal Suite!” He couldn’t tell if the boy was laughing at him or ready to cry, but he didn’t really care. Mercutio had money. He didn’t always show that he had, but he definitely had. And he had allures. And needs. And sometimes, when he was ‘out on the street’ it meant he would hire a hotel room to spend some alone-time. No one needed to know that at times he was tired of playing the reckless role of a jester twenty-four-seven. And that at some times, he was hiding from the world.

And a huge room, filled with luxury, was just the thing he needed. To see that the key handed to him was not the one of the appointed room – well, it was a let-down.

“Look, I’ve been up there and it’s just one of your average ragtag rooms that any citizen can rent. It has only got one bed in it and it’s small. I mean, have you looked at the size of me? I’m huge! How will I ever fit?”

The boy was blushing furiously now and started rummaging with some spare-keys. “I-I’m sorry sir. But the Bridal Suite is already occupied by a newly married couple and we can’t just throw them out. That would ruin their wedding.” The boy seemed relieved that Mercutio didn’t protest at this point. Many people would have, and many would have been very rude. “Look, I already called the manager and like he told you, before you went to inspect the room, he is looking into this and will hand you the key to another room as soon as one becomes available.”

Mercutio groaned and ran a hand through his hair. “Fine. Tell him to give me a call when he’s done. I really need to sleep.”

The boy studied the clock at the other end of the room. It was evening and Mercutio had announced that he’d be staying for the night and file in his complaint in the morning. It was still quite early, but he didn’t comment.

Mercutio nodded and turned on his heels. “Though I do like the personal touch you gave to the chamber. Leather gloves have always had my interest as decoratives.”

The boy behind him swallowed audibly and went to consult the list of bookings.

* * *

He pushed the light button. Froze. And then turned around to slam the door closed.

By God, what had he just seen? He nervously brushed a strand of lose hair out of his face and took a moment to steady his breathing. In his bed – the only bed in the room, he noted- was already a figure, sprawled underneath the blankets with only a foot sticking out on the left side and a tuft of orange hair sprouting out on the upper side, colouring the pillow.

And had that voice just moaned “come in dear?” or was that his imagination?

Tybalt felt like he was going to have another fit and clutched his hand to his chest, afraid that he would fall any moment. He could already taste the foam on his lips when the door behind him swung open and it was confirmed to him that he had not been imagining all these things. Someone really was occupying  _his_  room.

“Oh, it is you.” Did the man sound disappointed? Tybalt noticed his eye twitched nervously. He didn’t dare turn around to look at the source of the voice.

“Well, come in. It seems they screwed up royally at the reception.”

Uncertain whether to take action or stay where he was, Tybalt hesitantly turned on his heels and kept his eyes lowered to the floor. “So it seems…And the fact that my stuff was already in here didn’t set you off to ask for another room?”

“The fact I was given this room already set me off to ask for another room but apparently everything is fully booked.” Mercutio sighed. “Sorry, I was so tired I just wanted to sleep.” He gestured with his arm at the bed and the rumpled covers.

Tybalt’s eyes suspiciously scanned the room.

“And you didn’t touch my stuff?”

“Nope.” Mercutio plopped down on the bed and yawned. He looked like royalty draped on his rumpled beddings throne.

Tybalt found it all hard to believe and with his healthy distrust of the man, his nemesis, he started inspecting his luggage. “You looked through it, sure you did. Don’t tell me otherwise, Mercutio, I know you. You’re a reckless clown. A nasty piece of shit always sticking to my soles. Is that why you came here? To taunt me some more?”

But Mercutio was rubbing circles with his palms, massaging his temples with eyes closed as he leant back on the bed. “Sure, I did. I looked through it all. Found some very revealing photos. Love the red thong, didn’t think you’d be the type to wear it though…”

“What!?” Tybalt sounded infuriated and stepped closer to him, then smacked the poor boy on the bed with a black shirt he had found in his luggage. Mercutio tried to protect his head by raising his arms. “I do not have a red thong!”

“Well, you blamed me for something I didn’t do.” Mercutio moaned, then rolled to his side and curled against the blankets.

Tybalt looked at him for a moment, not comprehending what was going on, and blinked.

“So you are serious. You just wish to sleep?”

“’M tired,” Mercutio mumbled. For the first time Tybalt noticed the dark circles underneath the boy’s eyes.

“Do you do this more often? Hire a hotel room? Stay here by yourself? Sleeping?” It sounded all too odd. Yet as he spoke Tybalt unintentionally stepped closer to the bed and to the boy sleeping in it.

“Sometimes.” The boy mumbled. He didn’t sound as energetic as Tybalt knew him to be.

Worried that Mercutio wasn’t his usual self, Tybalt sat down on the edge of the bed, one long leg elegantly bending so he could sit on his heel, and bent over the boy to study his features. Some hairs were in the way and he brushed them aside, sighing irritably when he saw how pale Mercutio looked and how dark the circles underneath his eyes. And then there were his brows, knitted in a painful expression.

“Does it hurt when I talk?” He asked the boy, suddenly reminded of the headaches after one of his attacks.

“No.” It was obvious a lie because Mercutio flinched and drew the blanket to cover his face. But Tybalt wouldn’t have it. He pushed the blanket aside and gently wiped his hand past the boy’s cheek, feeling his skin. “Let me.” Mercutio protested, but Tybalt gritted his teeth and ran his hand into the boy’s hair, gently stroking him and combing his fingers through the wild curls.

“Do you suffer from this more often?” Mercutio tried to push him away and when he gave no reply Tybalt sighed. “You do, don’t you? Well, it’s no crime. Your secret is safe with me.”

Why did Mercutio have to open his eye to see Tybalt smirk while saying this last sentence? It made all the credibility fade. He pushed himself up and tried to sit, then weakly slapped Tybalt’s hands away from him. “Liar.” he hissed.

Tybalt was certain he would have laughed at the display if he hadn’t felt so utterly confused. This was Mercutio, brave and silly Mercutio who was always energetic and had so many faults – but his health had never been one of them.

And here he was, in Tybalt’s bed, weak and mumbling. “I’m not kidding, Mercutio. How long do you do this? Hide?”

“Just today.” He mumbled, looking increasingly worse.

“Right. Well, lay down. If you’ve got a headache you certainly want for me to be quiet….”

A deep sigh was enough of an answer.

Mercutio let himself fall back on the bed and instantly seemed to shut out the outer-world. Drawn in his own thoughts, Tybalt watched him for a while before deciding what he’d do. It was already getting late and he already had his dinner. Sleeping didn’t sound like a bad idea. He looked at the chair at the opposite side of the bed. It didn’t look that comfy.

After a moment of consideration the Capulet decided to take off his boots and dress down. He was standing in his socks and undies when the phone rang and after a short glance at the bed – Mercutio seemed unperturbed- he answered to find the hotel manager asking for Mercutio and apologising for the double booking. Tybalt glanced at Mercutio who lay with his back facing him and wondered if he could hear the conversation, if he was aware.

“Mister Escalus? I’m afraid he found himself a different hotel after the let-down. Where? I do not know, he didn’t tell. No, certainly. No problem. I’m glad it’s settled.”

After he put down the phone he removed his socks and gently lifted the blankets. Mercutio didn’t even stir as he scooped into the bed next to him and cuddled close. In fact, when Tybalt leant over the boy to see his face he swore he saw a little smile there.


End file.
